1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for preparing molybdenum oxide nanoparticles, and more particularly, to a method for preparing molybdenum oxide nanoparticles by a solvothermal reduction reaction.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) is used as a semiconductor material, a field emitter, an electrochromic material, a photochromic material, and a gas sensor. Conventionally, pure molybdenum trioxide was synthesized in various forms including nanorods, nanobelts, nanofibers, etc.
Molybdenum trioxide may be converted into molybdenum dioxide by reduction with hydrogen. Molybdenum dioxide is in the limelight as a fuel reforming catalyst, a selective cathode material for a solid oxide fuel cell, etc. due to sulfuric acid tolerance and coke resistance in partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon compound.
Generally, molybdenum oxide is synthesized by a hydrothermal method and solvothermal synthesis at 120 to 200° C. The hydrothermal method and the solvothermal synthesis have advantages in which solubility of a ceramic precursor may be easily controlled, high purity particles may be prepared, and sizes and shapes of the particles may be easily controlled according to temperature, pressure, concentration of the precursor, time, etc.
However, it has been noted that the hydrothermal method and the solvothermal synthesis are not appropriate for large scale synthesis due to the formation of large particles with broad size distribution. Thus, a synthesis method is needed for preparing molybdenum oxide nanoparticles with uniform shapes on a large scale.